The Verified September 6 Deal
Phoenix, Washington and the NBA league transaction ledgers all record the same September 6, 1974 exchange. The Suns sent Clem Haskins to the Bullets and received Dave Stallworth plus Washington's 1975 second-round draft choice. Bob Ferry's Washington executive record and Jerry Colangelo's Phoenix executive record independently preserve the same package. Phoenix's historical media guide adds a useful detail: on October 10 the Suns waived Stallworth and formally acquired the rights to Washington's 1975 second-rounder to complete the Haskins deal. The pick later became No. 35 overall Allen Murphy.
Stallworth Never Reached the Phoenix Regular Season
Stallworth had been a useful veteran earlier in his career, but Phoenix received no regular-season production from him. The Suns waived him on October 10, before their 1974-75 regular season began. He became a free agent and signed with the New York Knicks later that month, where he appeared briefly before being waived again in November. Because he never played a regular-season game for Phoenix and the Suns did not receive compensation when he left, the Stallworth branch of the return ended without realized on-court or downstream trade value.
The Draft Pick Became Allen Murphy
Phoenix did use Washington's second-round choice. The 1975 NBA Draft ledger shows the Suns selecting Louisville guard Allen Murphy at No. 35 overall. That verifies the legacy pick outcome and gives the transaction a traceable draft branch. The problem for Phoenix is that Murphy never played for the Suns. He instead joined the Kentucky Colonels in the ABA for 1975-76, appearing in 29 games as a reserve. After the ABA season and the merger period, Murphy signed with Chicago as a free agent in August 1976, and the Bulls later traded him to the Lakers. Those later moves were not Phoenix transactions, so they do not create downstream value for the Suns' 1974 asset chain.
Haskins Gives Washington Two Useful Seasons
Haskins was already 31 when Washington acquired him, but he still supplied two seasons of dependable reserve play. In 1974-75 he appeared in 70 regular-season games, averaging 10.0 minutes and 4.0 points. Washington reached the NBA Finals, and Haskins appeared in 13 playoff games. He returned in 1975-76 for 55 more regular-season games, raising his scoring to 6.4 points in 13.4 minutes, and he appeared in five more playoff games. Across the two seasons, the Bullets received 125 regular-season games and 18 postseason appearances.
The Role Was Modest, but the Value Was Real
Haskins was not a star in Washington. His usage had fallen sharply from his Phoenix peak, and he played behind the Bullets' primary guards. That limits Washington's grade and keeps this from being treated like a franchise-changing steal. Still, two seasons of available NBA depth on playoff teams is materially more than zero Phoenix appearances from either acquired asset. The comparison is especially direct because Stallworth was waived almost immediately and Murphy never signed with the Suns. There is no need to inflate Haskins' role to establish the direction of the trade.
Final Verdict
Bullets Win, A-/D+. Washington receives an A- because Haskins delivered 125 regular-season games and 18 playoff appearances across two seasons, including a reserve role on the 1975 NBA Finals team. Phoenix receives a D+ because Stallworth never played a regular-season game for the Suns and the acquired No. 35 pick became Murphy, who chose the ABA and never appeared for Phoenix. The Suns correctly converted the pick into a real prospect, but neither branch produced team value. Confidence is high on the transaction structure, October 10 completion detail, draft outcome and player histories. The verdict reflects only verified transaction terms and realized team value.